Panoramic scenery.



No. 674,876. Patented May 23, l90l.

} a. PUBVIS.

PANORAMIG SGENERY.

v (Application filed Jan. 16, 1901.) (H Model.) 4 Sheep-Sheet I.

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' No. 674.876. Patented May 28, l90l.

,G. PURVIS. d

PANOBAMIC SCENEBY.

' (Application filed Ian. 16 1901.) (lo Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

llrrnn TATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE PURVIS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO FRED. G. NIXON NIRDLINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

PANORAWIIC SCENERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,876, dated May 28, 1901. Application filed January 16, 1901. Serial No. 43,450. (No model.)

T all 1077107771 it 71 007L067? ramic band or strip is suspended and sup- Be it known that I, GEORGE PURVIS, a citiported solely from its upper edge, the remainzen of the United States, residing at the city ing portions of the band or strip depending 55 of Philadelphia,in the county of Philadelphia freely from the supported edge and provided and State of Pennsylvania, have invented with means for driving the supported edge to certain new and usefullmprovements in Pancause the band or strip to turn. oramic Scenery, of which the following is a My invention further consists of a panospecification. ramic apparatus when constructed and ar- 60 My invention has relation to panoramic ranged in substantially the manner herein- 1o scenery especially adapted for use in theatafter described and claimed.

rical representations or stage effects; and in The nature and scope of my invention will such connection it relates to the arrangement be more fully understood from the following and construction of the panoramic parts and description, taken in connection with the ac- 65 of the parts forsupporting and operating the companying drawings, forming part hereof,

same. in which- Heretofore in theatrical or stage represen- Figures 1, 2, and 3 are perspective views tations when panoramic effects were used the of the various parts of a panoramic apparapanorama was painted upon a long and wide tus embodying main features of my inven- 7o strip of canvas or sheeting and then wound tion, the panoramic band or curtain being around twowidely-separated rollers andlaced illustrated as rolled up and the frame and up into an endless band orstrip, with the rollband elevated above and out of engagement ers inclosed within the band and forming the with the end supports. Fig. 4: isa front elebearings around which the band could turn. vational view of the panoramic apparatus as- 75 These rollers were of necessity of large disembled in operative position. Fig. 5 is a ameter to properly support the band or strip top or plan view, enlarged, of Fig. 4., certain and were usually of Wood and of considerable parts being removed or broken away to more weight. One or both of these rollers had to clearly illustrate the invention. Fig. 6 is an be turned to cause the panoramic strip to reend elevational View of the panoramic appa- 8o volve, and the turning of the roller or rollers ratus, illustrating the mechanism for revolvrequired the exercise of considerably more ing the panoramic band orcurtain. Fig. 7 is power than a man could exert. The rollers a cross-sectional view, enlarged, on the line were sustained in vertical position by bulky, 7 7 of Fig. 5, illustrating in detail the means cumbersome,andheavyprops orsupports,and for stretching the band or curtain into flat 85 the whole apparatus was so expensive and 00- condition. Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-seccupied so much room that its use in small reptional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 5, and Figs. resentations and upon small stages was pre- 9, 10, and 11 are detail views illustrating a eluded. The props or supports for the rollmodified form of the apparatus. ers had of necessity to be clamped or bolted Referring to the drawings, a represents the 90 to the stage, and in the assembling of the panoramic sheet or strip formed into an endparts supporting the panorama, as well as in less band and having at its upper edge an their separation for dismantling the panoenlarged substantially round selvage a, preframic apparatus, much labor was required. erably formed of rope. The support for this The principal object of my present invenband a consists, essentially, of three parts 5 tion is to so construct and arrange the panoviz., an upper framework or frame b and two ramic band and its auxiliaries that the grave uprights or end supports 01 and 9, adapted to defects heretofore existing, as hereinbefore maintain the frame b in substantially horipointed out, are obviated and a panaroma zontal position. The upper framebconsists, produced which is sufficiently cheap and simessentially, of two parallel longitudinal bars plc to permit of its use on the smaller stages I), united by suitable cross-pieces 5 From 0 and in less expensive theatrical productions. each bar 1) depends a vertical strip b in the My invention consists, primarily, in so 0011- outer face of which is formed a groove or structing a panorama that the endless panochannel for the reception and guiding of the enlarged selvage or edge ct of the band or curtain a, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8. Preferably hinged to the edges of the bars I) are the strips b adapted to confine the selvage a, in the channels of the strips 19 The end support or upright (:1 consists by preference of two vertical posts (1, united at their upper ends by blocks d and maintained in an upright position by the angular braces 61 secured at their upper ends to the upper ends of the posts 01 and at theirlower ends to horizontal pieces or braces 01 secured to the lower ends of the posts 61 and adapted to rest upon the flooring of the stage. The upright dis therefore constructed somewhat like a pyramid to secure the necessary rigidity. as well as strength and uprightness. The upright 6 is constructed in a manner similar to the upright d. The blocks d of the upright 01 constitute a bearing for a vertical shaft 01 having at its lower end a pulley d preferably grooved on its periphery to receive the rounded edge a of the band a. The upper end of the shaft 61 is provided with a pinion d meshing with a cog-wheel d secured to the long shaft (P. This long shaft 61 is adapted to be rotated by the crank (1 and gears d and d or in any other suitable manner, and when so rotated its cog wheel (1 causes, through the pinion d and shaft 01 a suitable rotation of the grooved pulley d. Between the parallel bars 19 of the upper frame I) a block b is arranged at that end adjacent to the support 6. This block b constitutes the bearing for a vertical shaft 5 to which is secured a pulley b grooved to receive the corded edge of the band a. The block b is adapted to be slid back and forth longitudinally in the bars 1) by means of a threaded shaft b Working in one of the cross-pieces b of the frame.

By arranging the bearing-block b so that it may slide longitudinally in the frame I) the upper corded edge a of the band a may be tightened when the band is in position, and hence its face may be flattened or smoothed and all slack taken up. The frame I) may be bolted or otherwise secured at one end to the upright 01 and similarly secured atits other end to the upright 6. When so mounted in position, the corded or rope edge a of the band a is slipped around the grooved pulleys d and b and the bearing of the pulley b adjusted longitudinally until the band a is properly supported. The corded edge a, may then be confined in the channeled or grooved side strips 17 and 12 in which it may travel as the pulley d is rotated. The lower edge and the sides of the panoramic band a are not fastened or fixed, but depend, with sufficient rigidity from the frame I) to permit the face of the band to lie flat and smooth like a curtain. If desired, the angular and horizontal braces of the supports d and e may be hinged to the supports in any suitable manner, (not shown,) so that when not in use the supports may be folded into small compass.

In Figs. 9, 10, and 11 a modification of my invention is shown, wherein the band a, may be caused to travel in an angular or curved path instead of straight across the stage. In this modification the end pulleys b and d are supplemented by the intermediate pulleysfand g, which are not in the plane passing through the end pulleys. One of the intermediate pulleys f guides the front corded edge a of the band, whereas the other pulley g guides the rear edge, so as to cause the band to travel in an angular or curved path. One of the pulleysf or g, by preference g, is provided with a sliding bearingg and means for adjusting said bearing to take up the slack in the band.

It will be readily understood that various changes in the arrangement and construction above described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, provided the endless panoramic band he supported by its upper edge in the manner of a curtain and when so supported be capable of revolution or rotation. Moreover, when the panoramic band is not in use it may be caused to assume a rolled-up condition and the supporting-frame for the same with the band elevated, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and with the standards or supports for the frame and 'band caused to assume a condition, for example, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a panoramic apparatus, an endless panoramic band suspended and supported solely from its upper edge, the remaining portions of the band depending freely from the supported edge and means for driving the supported edge to cause the band to turn, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a device of the character described, an endless cord, a frame having channeled sides to receive and guide the cord, wheels connected with said frame and around which the cord is passed, an endless panoramic band united at its upper edge to said cord, said cord constituting the sole support for the band and means for driving said cord to cause the band to be driven, substantially as and for the purposes described. 7

3. In a device of the character described, an endless panoramic band, means for supporting the band solely by its upper edge and means for driving'the upper edge of the band to cause the band to be driven, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE PURVIS.

Witnesses:

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH. 

